Only Children

Only Child Storybooks:

Are you a parent of an only child?

Congratulations! Your child is more likely to get the undivided affection and attention every child deserves.

The Only Child Project is a community for parents raising an only child. This is a place where you share your stories, spread the love, discuss issues, and find solutions to parenting problems you might be facing. This is where we want to let you know that being ‘only’ doesn’t mean being ‘lonely’ or anything that makes it sound distressful and negative.

Every Child Is Unique

First born, middle child, youngest kid, or an only child – every child is unique but they are all the same in too many ways. They all need love, care, and affection – some might even demand it. Children, they give you a lot to cherish, but at the same time they may also be problematic.

For all those Only Children who asked us – Yes, we are ready to expand our site!

We are expanding our site to additionally focus on issues from the viewpoint of an Only Child. Even though our site started off as a support system for parents of Only Children, we didn’t pay much attention to the perspectives of only children.

So, here we go! All ‘Only Children’ are welcome to send us messages about your issues, problems, or thoughts about yourself, your family, friends, school, dating, married life. We will post your messages on our site under your name (or anonymously if you want). Please send us an email (on the ‘Contact’ Page).

While raising a single child has its share of peculiar joys, it also comes with several challenges, most of which are due to long formed stereotypes and stigmas.

The Only Child Project is a platform that helps parents free themselves and their child from such clutches and overcome every challenge. We are here to ensure you that you are not alone, and being an only child does not in any way obstruct the child from growing into a balanced, responsible and caring adult.

Unfortunately, there has always been a slight air of negativity around the subject and such children, along with their parents are often forced to think that it is all because of the loneliness their child suffers from. They even have a fancy term ‘the lonely child syndrome’ for it.

While the only child syndrome is an actual issue, it is not because the way a child is born but because of how he/she is raised.

Things You Need to Know as a Parent

Back in 1800’s, a psychologist Stanley Hall concluded his research about the only child with a remark that states “Only child is a disease in itself”. Once again, we are talking about the 1800s and numerous modern psychologists including the famous Toni Falbo proved Hall’s theory wrong. Unfortunately, the negative stereotype on only child continues. Don’t fall for it.

What your child needs the most is your support and the surety that you are by their side. You can play an important role in helping them develop a sense of security. You can raise them as confident and content adults with higher sense of individuality and self esteem.

Parenting an only child may be a demanding job, but you are not alone in your struggle. The Only Child Project provides the support you need.

We have a plethora of resources from child psychologists and experts who have the credibility, experience, and knowledge regarding this topic. We invite and encourage you to utilize our resources, andit’s your support that we need in return.

You Are Stronger than You Know

You may not feel like it but you are capable of making as much difference as anyone else.

We want you to support us through your active participation in this humble little community we have formed. We want you to connect with fellow parents and onlies, discuss and share stories and issues, find solutions, and learn strategies to develop a stronger only child personality. Join our forums to discuss your issues with those who are facing similar situation as yours or have faced it in the past.

Feel free to use our resources and get a better hang of parenting an only child. Since we are a community, we believe in unrestricted access to an ever-growing knowledgebase. And that is why we invite you to add to our database by submitting articles on topic and issues that we haven’t covered yet.

Furthermore, you can help us keep a check on the quality of content and the credibility of the resources we share by providing your feedback and reviews.

So, once again we are about to tell you what we told you as we started and what everyone including your child should know and believe;

You Are Not Alone – No One Is

Help is always there if you are willing to find it, and you too might be able to help someone in more ways than you know.

Whether you are a parent or the child, you can join our community, share, and play your part in eliminating the negative stereotypes surrounding the only child.
You may have an Only Child but you are not alone. So join the community, share and be part of us.

This topic contains 8 replies, has 2 voices, and was last updated by Judith Tippets 1 year, 4 months ago.

Hi. Thanks for putting all this great info together. Nice to have such a great resource. I went through many of the articles, and have come back from time to time. Its nice to see that y’all have opened up the Discussions after a long pause.

While some of the topics might be similar for all kids, I strongly believe that once a child has been stereotyped by others, it sticks. For a mother like me with an Only, it then becomes my unwelcome burden to dispel these idiotic stereotypes. My toddler is one of the most sharing and giving child, and the evidence is quite clear when we have these huge family gatherings.

Christmas is an eye-opener. All the screaming and fighting 🙁 My little girl has this baffled look on her face when she sees kids fighting over toys 🙂

Thanks you for being supportive!!! And bringing back my sanity (after the medical issues I had to go through and then give up and settling for just one).

I love this site, and am a mother of an only child, girl, soon of be 5 years old. We live in rural Kansas, and you can imagine how hard it is meeting other parents of onlies. I looked at a few pages of the books by Loretta Campbell, and they look fantastic…eager to read it to my princess. You can Email the gift code to me, and I will get started on writing a review.

yep, finally, someone wants the opinion of the children themselves instead of focussing on parents of onlies.

It is a miserable life, I can tell you. Not all the fun and roses this site, or any other only child site or resource or counsellor makes it out to be.

I am 61, wife died a few years back. Never had children, not choice, but medical reasons. Its lonely as hell. I am well off, the wife had inherited quite a bit, and we were careful with money but lived well. My health is amazing, so I guess I’ll live for a few decades more – unless of course cancer gets me first like it did her. But there’s more to life than just living. I have no siblings, cousins that I have not seen in several decades. My parents were the most fantastic ones any one could have. I miss them to this day. I know mother couldn’t have more for medical reasons, but I just wish I wasn’t an only. People complain about siblings not getting along, but at least there is someone to fight with!!! On the plus side, the most wonderful childhood, good married life.
I hope people talk to other only children before they make up their minds about having an Only child. Don’t just talk to other parents, or Wikipedia, or shrinks.

I have an only child and have felt pressure by lots of people around me asking when I will give up and have another. I, too, would love the book gift code in exchange for an Amazon review, but also for my son!

KitKat, I sure can imagine what your life with your daughter is like. I too am in rural Kansas, and my daughter is turning 3 this summer. I enrolled her in a toddler dance class so she could interact with someone other than Mommy, and her first class was a disaster! lol We’re going to try again next week, and work our way around the park and the library. Hopefully, she’ll find a friend or two. A friend of mine has also suggested a play date with her two year old daughter who has an older brother. I hope we can arrange to have them both along. She could see how siblings interact then. That would be an interesting experience for her, I think.
I am just glad to know there is this resource for parents of onlies. My little doodlebug can be fiercely independent, which is both good and bad for a single mom like me to handle. I have to get a hold of that book!